


The Ballast

by SmurfetteAttheTacoBell



Category: Agent Carter Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Bonding, Episode Tag, Ficlet, Friendship, Gen, I need to rewatch this show, I wrote this so long ago that I don't even remember why Peggy has a wound on her leg, One Shot, Their dynamic is just, so good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-03-08 16:52:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13462470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmurfetteAttheTacoBell/pseuds/SmurfetteAttheTacoBell
Summary: Episode Tag to S01E02, Bridge and Tunnel. Peggy and her newest ally get to know each other a little better.





	The Ballast

After stitching up her leg, Mr. Jarvis brings her a glass of brandy “for medicinal purposes” and turns down the covers while Peggy sits in an armchair by the window. Normally, she’d resist having someone do something so simple for her, but right now there’s a warm buzz in her brain and a dull ache in her leg and she’s so _tired_ and yet so comfortable and moving right now is out of the question.

Eyes half veiled by heavy lids, she watches the butler work. He moves with practiced ease through a ritual that Peggy is certain he has done hundreds of times, folding the blankets perfectly, fluffing the pillows, and smoothing the wrinkles out of the sheets. Skills that she can’t really see being very helpful for espionage. The stitches in her leg attest that any expertise could potentially be useful, though, and the agent wonders what other surprises Mr. Jarvis has up his sleeves.

Colleen’s face appears unbidden before her eyes and Peggy flinches away from the memory. Her fingers tighten around the smooth glass in her hand and she wonders how long it will be until this wound heals until the sting isn’t quite so sharp.

The butler isn’t like Colleen though, isn’t unsuspecting and innocent. Right now he’s the only person who knows exactly what Agent Carter is up to and genuinely wants to help her. And perhaps he isn’t as unqualified as she thinks he is; he’s level-headed, loyal to a fault, and can be surprisingly courageous for someone completely out of their element.

But it’s been so long since Peggy had allies she’s almost forgotten how to go about it. She’s worked with men like Agent Thompson so long she isn’t sure where she stands with a man like Edwin Jarvis, who actually seems to respect her as both an agent and as a woman. 

“Mr. Jarvis?”

“Yes, Miss Carter?” Now he’s laying her nightclothes out on the bed for her, looking as if he’s trying to accomplish the task without actually touching or looking at the garments.

Peggy suppresses a smile at the excessively proper butler and sets her empty glass on the table. “Mr. Jarvis, I know Howard wanted you to help me, but why do _you_ want to help me?”

He stops short and removes his glasses. His face takes a thoughtful expression before he answers in the same gentle tone he had used earlier. “You were given a nearly impossible task, and asked to do it alone. That seemed unjust. I know that I do not possess your training, or even any training at all really, but even if I was a capable fighter I still do not think that is what you would need me to be. You have proven after all, to be more than capable of taking care of yourself.

“I saw that what you needed was simply someone who saw you as you really were, someone who saw both your strengths and weaknesses and tried to balance them.”

“And what do you perceive to be my weaknesses?” Peggy asks, genuinely curious. They haven’t known each other that long after all, and she wonders what sort of hypothesis the butler has formed about her.

Jarvis sits on the bed and rests his hands on his knees. “I think that most of your faults are virtues carried too far. Oh, I’m sure you have the potential to be a perfectly miserable sort of person when the urge hits you, but I have yet to see that. I speak of your independence and obstinance, two secrets of your success. You would not be where you are today if you were not strong, Miss Carter. But do not let your independence make you truly alone, or your obstinance make you unable to change or see things from another’s point of view.”

“Whose point of view would that be?” She inquires.

“Why, mine, of course.” Just like that Peggy is smiling ruefully despite herself. 

Jarvis stands and slides his glasses into his pocket. “If that is all then I shall bid you goodnight, Miss Carter.”

“Goodnight, Mr. Jarvis. Thank you for your help tonight.” The words taste unfamiliar on her tongue, but come surprisingly easy.

“No thanks is necessary.” He says, slipping out. The door clicks shut behind him.

Peggy moves slowly, locking the door and beginning to undress. Her thoughts have become drowsy and peaceful, thinking of her unlikely ally in an uncertain adventure. She still feels a little guilt involving Jarvis in her affairs, because willingly accepting his help seems tantamount to condemning him to a premature death. There is also her heart to consider, for it always becomes too easily attached.

A sickly, emaciated figure comes to mind. Steve Rogers was supposed to be an experiment, not someone whose ideals would breath fresh life into Agent Peggy Carter’s struggle for justice. She wasn’t supposed to love him either, but she had, and now he was gone.

Clad in her nightgown, Peggy crawls into bed and snuggled into the soft covers. _Oh, this is heavenly._

Sleep is dragging her down slowly, and her eyes fall shut of their own accord. Sometime since walking into this room tonight, she’s decided to trust Edwin Jarvis, to make him a part of her fight, to accept his help. She still doesn’t know a lot about him, but he is sincere and has proven that danger will not keep him away.

Of course, she might just teach him about self-defense. Just because he’s primarily her moral support and the driver of the getaway car doesn’t mean he should be practically defenseless. And he’ll need to know how to handle both guns and knives. Peggy could be injured again and might be rendered unable to use a weapon. Yes, she’ll definitely need to teach him a few things.

Smiling to herself, Peggy finally drifts into the arms of Morpheus. Teaching the gentlemanly, refined butler to fight should be quite an amusing experience.


End file.
